By My Idle Hand
by DA830
Summary: Oh no...it's accident time! After a terrible (but non-fatal) accident, Okuda now has her right arm - her dominant one - in a cast. Luckily, her knight in shining red armor is there to help her out. Feeding her, protecting her, giving her piggyback rides, is there anything he can't do? He can't apologize, even though it's his fault in the first place? Karma x Okuda. Canon-verse.
1. Chapter 1

**Anyways. Just another idea I've been playing around with. I hope you enjoy.**

 **Also - this takes place in the middle of the story. Somewhere around there.**

 **You know what, it's timeless.**

* * *

 _Tup. Tup._

Thank goodness the sun isn't too hot yet.

 _Tup. Tup._

The worn-out path starts its inevitable incline - nothing special to someone like him.

 _Tup. Tup._

"See ya later, 3-E losers!"

 _Ignore them. Like usual._

 _Tup. Tup._

Pull out a juice box, tear out the straw. Follow routine.

 _Tup. Tup._

Check the time - eight-fifteen? Looks like he won't be late today.

 _Tup. Tup._

It's not a long walk, contrary to popular belief. The clearing comes into sight in no time - along with it a smattering of students scattered haphazardly about the scene. His teacher adorns it, sitting at the door like some sort of crown jewel.

There are even a few of his classmates on the roof.

 _Why -_ he shakes his head - _I'm not even going to._ Continue on.

"Hey." Waltz in there like he usually does, owning the world. A few acknowledge his presence - not that it matters to him anyways.

 _Nagisa isn't here yet._

"Hello, Koro-sensei," he greets.

"Good morning, Karma-kun," the octopus replies.

"Why are you out here so early?" he asks, to fill in silence more than anything else. "...actually, no, don't answer that," he adds in an afterthought. "Why are -" step back, take a quick peek - "Kayano and Okuda on the roof?"

"They're patching a hole on there that formed recently." Kataoka approaches him, tilting her head slightly. "Hello, Karma-kun."

He nods uncharacteristically, not wanting to waste words on more greetings. "Them, though? Why not…" he quickly searches his mind for who he's looking for. "Terasaka, or someone like that?"

She snorts softly. "All he would do is make the hole bigger. It was just _them_ who noticed it, and it was bothering them...or something."

"What's that you say about me?"

Unfortunately, Ryoma Terasaka chooses the wrong moment to show up.

"It was his idea," Meg Kataoka says automatically.

Normally, he would get fired up over false accusations...but this was _Terasaka_ they were talking about. Hell, it was Karma _himself_ who usually did the teasing!

"Yeah, it was me," he taunts, dropping his voice, not quite a whisper, but not a full-fledged sound either. "Is your head too dense that those words can't even register?"

"Karma-kun…" his teacher's disapproving voice rings out, a warning bell. Kataoka sighs, probably used to it by now.

Paying no heed, he continues on, enjoying the reactions he's getting. "Sorry, I take it back. It's not dense. It's probably just small."

"Oh, you…!" Without warning, Terasaka drops the bag he's carrying and flings himself at the offender.

 _Damn, this escalated quickly._ Karma dodges and blocks all of the hits with ease - andry opponents are so simple to read.

"Hey - hey! S-stop!" Koro-sensei has himself in a tizzy, fretting about the two of them. He could easily overpower the both of them... _I wonder why he's not? Could that be a weakness?_ He wonders absentmindedly. _Helpless when his students are fighting?_

"We're coming down now!" Kayano's voice floats down from above. He looks up, there's Okuda making her way over to the ladder, all the while Terasaka keeping up a barrage of punches and kicks.

He inches backward, unintentionally. He steals a quick glance backwards - it tells him all he needs to know. _I'm close to the ladder - better put some space between us or Okuda could get hurt._

What he _doesn't_ see though - is on the ground.

A rock.

Bested by a _rock_.

"W-woah!" Damn rock, putting a hitch in his plan...he falls backwards, right on par to hit the ladder...and Okuda's climbing onto it…

 _Shit!_ He twists his body, trying to angle it so he doesn't hit it, he doesn't want to become the reason for a broken arm, of course.

He succeeds...mostly.

His arm clips the ladder, barely, just _barely_ , but enough to make it wobble a bit.

"A-ah!" Okuda cries out, flinging out her arms to stabilize herself on the roof.

"Okuda-chan! Be careful!" Kayano warns.

He breathes out...crisis averted.

Hold on...

Terasaka!

He lunges forward, spotting an opportunity to hit him. He's on the ground, defenseless.

Well, not _entirely_.

There's a ladder.

His eyes widen as he realizes what's about to happen.

Even Kataoka can see it.

She reaches out, but she knows it will be to no avail. "Terasaka-kun, wait -!"

Too late.

It happens in a flash - Koro-sensei is a smidge tardy.

The ladder spins, falling to the ground.

And so does Okuda.

She's never looked smaller.

Kayano is watching, a hand over her mouth.

The roof isn't _that_ high...he could jump off and land safely...but not the way _she_ landed.

By this time, everyone there has come running.

"Okuda-san!" his teacher's voice is frantic. Karma's still reeling from what just happened.

The chemist rolls over - in obvious pain. She's clutching her right arm, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her glasses are right in front of him.

People gasp. Terasaka stands stock-still. It's his fault, he's probably thinking.

 _Wrong,_ Karma thinks.

 _It's mine._

"We have to splint it! Doesn't matter if it's broken, make sure it's straight!" Kataoka springs into action immediately. His classmates shake themselves out of their stupor and gather around her.

"Someone get a bamboo stem, break it into the size of her arm!" She orders. "I'll need two of them and some tape!"

He doesn't move. His mind is numb, he feels heavy. _It's my fault, I just need to apologize to her, that's all,_ he tells himself.

 _Then why are you so shaken up about it?_ Nagisa's figure appears.

"This may hurt, Okuda-chan, but you need to tell me where, okay?"

 _I...I don't know._

"Koro-sensei, you need to take her to the hospital. KORO-SENSEI!" She yells, finally snapping the octopus out of his frenzy and scaring some of the students. Meg _rarely_ yells. It was a sign of how serious the situation was for her to lose her temper.

"Y-yes, of course." He wraps her, tenderly, in his tentacles. Karma can see her from here - her eyes are closed, but she's breathing hard.

 _All because of me._

"I'll be back soon!" are his parting words as he zooms off, much slower than Mach 20. Nobody bothers to try and assassinate him.

Kayano is the first to come to her senses. "Terasaka-kun, how _could_ you?" Her eyes are watering. She punches him in the arm, albeit very weakly, but the intention is what hurts the most.

"I...I…" Terasaka, for once, is at a loss for words. Others join in, but their spirit is gone.

 _Why are they blaming him? They should be blaming me…_

Why...why is he feeling this way? He has no qualms about breaking other people's bones, beating them to a pulp…

...but they can fight back.

The image of the violet-haired girl, laying there, small, defenseless…

He _hurt_ her.

There is a loud _boom_ , and Koro-sensei appears before them. Eyes turn up, sun falls on hopeful faces.

"Good news, class!" _It isn't much of a class….half of us aren't even here yet._  
"Okuda-san has been hospitalized without any problems! I've contacted her parents and they should be there by now. However," he pauses with a tentacle in the air, "she will need to remain there for a minimum of a week before being able to function in our class again."

There is no cheering. The air is subdued. A member of their class, their _assassination_ _team_ is gone for a week.

"D...damnit…" Terasaka whispers. "I told myself that I would stop giving you guys more trouble, but…"

"Let us not make Terasaka-kun feel any worse than he already is," Koro-sensei adds. A tentacle slithers out and comes to rest on his back. "You can apologize to her when she comes back."

Everyone mutters their various agreements.

"Yo! Wha - hey, why is everyone looking so sad?"

It's Maehara. More students are gradually beginning to show up - and with every one that does, the story has to be recounted...again, and again, and again…

"It was...Terasaka-kun."

"Terasaka-kun did it."

"I knocked the ladder away…"

 _No!_ Karma desperately wants to shout. _It was me! My fault!_

But no words seem to come out.

"Karma-kun?" The octopus nears him, this time resting a slimy appendage on _his_ head. "Is something wrong? You have been strangely silent during this ordeal…"

He looks up into the smiling face of his teacher he has come to love (but no one knows _that._ ) - he would understand, wouldn't he?

"It's nothing." He gets up and smoothly flicks off the tentacle. He walks past the group uninterrupted, not giving a second glance.

"Hello, Karma-kun!" Nagisa has finally come to school. He's smiling. Genuinely.

"Hello." He turns to look at his blue-haired friend as they pass by. Their eyes meet and Nagisa's smile morphs into an expression of concern.

He puts his barriers up - shields, masking his feelings from the outside. His eyes betray him.

"Karma-kun?" Nagisa starts to reach out.

 _No...I can't!_

So he does the only thing he can think of: run.

He runs headlong down the mountain path, all the way down to the main campus, then into the foliage of the mountain.

He'd never let anyone in. Not a single person.

 _Why is this affecting me so badly!?_

 _Would you feel the same if_ I _had gotten hurt?_ The projection of the bluenette pops up again.

 _I...I don't know!_

 _Just get away._

 _That's all that matters._

"...huh?" Nagisa watched Karma speed down the path. He blinks once, then resumes walking.

 _I wonder what's troubling him._

* * *

 **So...definitely multi-chapter! I have lots of fluff in store~**

 **I sound really stupid, don't I.**

 **Feel free to leave a review or PM if you spot any mistakes - especially on the honorifics - or even just to leave a review.**

 **Until the next time.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter two. My schedule is to write the next chapter before I post the previous one, so that's why it'll take longer for chapters to appear.**

* * *

"For homework, pages one-thirty-six to one-forty will be read, and complete the questions on page one-forty-one."

There is little commotion as students hasten to scrawl down the numbers. Karma isn't one of them. His head rests on the back of the chair, hand hangs by the side, clutching a red pen.

It's already day five, and it's agonizing him.

"Now, about the formula that seems to be troubling us -"

 _Knock knock._

Heads turn. Mr. Karasuma, their physical education teacher, is at the door.

 _It's unlike him to knock_ , everyone thinks.

"Yes, Mr. Karasuma?" Even their teacher is mildly surprised, shown by a pink-dominated color scheme.

"You have a phone call." The PE teacher's expression is unreadable as he turns and leaves the room.

"Ooh, a phone call! I rarely ever get phone calls!" His face turns an even more intense shade of rose. "I'll be right back, class!" he says and hurries out of the room, leaving his students bemusedly wondering what just happened.

The class gradually lapses into comfortable conversation, a familiar atmosphere. He lets his eyes drift away from the door which his teacher just disappeared into. They finally land on the desk one row up and one desk left from his.

The _empty_ desk.

He sighs and throws his head back, dropping the pen with a resounding _clack_.

Ryunosuke Chiba, who is mired in the day's homework, looks back uncomfortably. It's just one row back - Karma. The aura he's throwing off is _depressing_ , in lack of a better word. Mournful, even.

 _Tap._

"Nakamura-san?"

Rio Nakamura stands in front of his desk, looking like business.

"Hey…" she leans in close, her blonde hair tickling the wood. "Don't you think Karma-kun's acting sorta strange?"

"Uh…I guess so…" he says, unsure of how to reply. Out of all his classmates, Rio Nakamura was probably the least likely to talk to him, much less _approach_ him about something.

"Oh, come on!" She clucks. "Even _I_ can sense it - he's not up to his usual standards."

He glances back again, this time warily. "Don't you think he'll hear us talking about him?"

She shrugs indifferently. "He's too under the weather to care, now tell me your thoughts."

 _Eh!?_ Now this was just getting stranger and stranger by the moment. He proceeds to detail what he can discern, although still confusedly.

"Thanks." She draws herself up, hands on hips. "Now I just have to get to the bottom of it…" she murmurs, and walks off, leaving the sharpshooter as bewildered as ever.

"Hrr hrr hrr, I'm back!"

The students snap to attention as their teacher strides purposefully...actually, more like _awkwardly slithers_ back into the room.

"What was the call about, Koro-sensei?" Kaede Kayano asks earnestly.

"Okuda-san has recovered enough to come back to school, starting tomorrow!"

Those words are met with cheers and celebration.

"Yay!"

"I can't wait till she finds out all the homework she missed…"

"Don't be such a downer!"

People continue to celebrate all around him, but for Karma, it's not happiness. It's the poison of dread laced with specks of determination.

 _Haha...poison, just like her._

 _This is where I find out what's wrong with me._

"...nah, I think he looks about the same from last week," Koki Mimura muses, studying the redhead from afar.

"But he didn't even look happy when Koro-sensei said that Okuda's coming back!" the blonde persists.

Mimura sighs. "Look, I don't know where you're getting at, but that's all that I see." He shrugs half-heartedly. "Sorry I wasn't able to help you." He gets up and walks over to Taiga Okajima, striking up a conversation with him.

 _Hm, well that's just one out of twenty-seven. Now on to the next one._

"Heyyyy, Nagisa-kun~" she calls, drawing out the word.

"Nakamura-san!" He stiffens, obviously bracing for her teasing.

"Don't worry, it's nothing like that." She kneels beside him and coaxes his ear closer.

 _What's going on here?_ he thinks, but leans in anyways.

"Do you think...Karma-kun's been acting strangely lately?" she whispers.

 _Phew...I thought it was going to be something else…_ "Well...I wouldn't call it strange…" he begins. She nods quickly. "Continue."

"Well...after Okuda-san fell, I passed him on my way here, and…" He looks at the blonde. She's practically hanging onto every word he said. He gives her a weird look and goes on.

"His eyes...were different."

He thinks back to the day. Passing him, that _look_ …

"His eyes are usually guarded. Defensive-like."

She can understand _that,_ she sees it whenever she talks with him.

"But this time...they were soft."

 _Soft!?_

"I mean...vulnerable. His walls were down," he hastily clarifies. He doesn't want Nakamura getting any funny ideas...it was bad enough she teased him about Kayano... _and_ crossdressing...he didn't need Karma getting added to that list as well.

"Ohh. I see what you mean." She gives the person in particular a long stare from across the room. He is lounging lazily on his chair, twirling a pencil from finger to finger. It's honestly not all that different from the usual Karma...but it is. There's just something, _something about him_ that seems so different than the day-to-day one she's used to…

 _I'll have to figure it out later._

"Thanks, Nagisa-kun!" She slowly gets up and walks back to her desk. _No point in studying, Koro-sensei's letting us talk...he's probably high on the fact that our neighbourhood chemist is coming back…_

Nagisa is the only source of information she needs. He told her everything she needs to know.

 _Now...what to do with it?_

It nags at her all the way home, after the last bell has tolled. She's so deep in thought, she doesn't notice it.

 _Crack!_

 _Boom._

Sound and light explode, and the heavens rip open.

"Oh...it's raining…" she mumbles.

 _My uniform's going to get soaked._

She sprints the rest of the way, dropping her bag the moment she's inside.

"I'm home!"

She gathers up her things and makes her way to her room.

"Ugh, I'm all wet…"

As she lays out her raindrop-splattered outfit, she realizes it.

"Oh, right…"

An image of Karma today surfaces. Looking all bored-like, less talkative than usual, which wasn't much, mind you. Jacket open, knife in one hand, pencil in the other...

 _...he was wearing a tie…_

 _He never wears ties!_

Her homework is forgotten as she hurriedly dons a shirt and shorts to call up Nagisa.

"Sorry, my dear partner in crime…"

 _It's time to get to the bottom of this._

 _I had to tell mom I was meeting her for a homework project...why does she want to meet me_ here, _of all places, anyways?_

The bluenette looks around the deserted main campus yard. Not a soul in sight...except for him.

Did he mention it's pouring buckets?

He'd just changed out of his school uniform when his phone had started buzzing rapidly, and answering it had revealed that Nakamura wanted to meet him at the main campus. And _fast_.

 _It's something important,_ she'd stressed. _Just meet me there._ And then she'd hung up abruptly, leaving him more confused than he had at the beginning.

"Mom? I'm going out to meet a friend for work!" He had called, picking up an umbrella.

"Are you sure? It's raining really hard, I don't want you to get hurt," she fretted.

"I'll be fine." He had stepped outside and immediately regretted his actions. It was raining, _really_ hard. _I promised her though._

He had sighed and opened his umbrella. _This had better be worth it._

And that was how he'd ended up here.

"Nagisa-kun!" She's running, as he expected. She comes to a halt in front of him, panting. She isn't holding an umbrella.

"Nakamura-san!?" He rushes forward, extending his hand to shield her as well. "What are you doing out here without protection?"

"I...realized something about...Karma…" she gasps between pants.

 _Was she really running this hard to talk to me? And without an umbrella, no less?_ "So you had to run out here in the heavy rain to tell me?"

"Look, I know I sound crazy, but…" She looks up, her eyes gleaming. "He was wearing a tie!"

 _A...tie…?_ He musters his best _really?_ expression (which is difficult, because he doesn't utilize it very often). "I wear a tie too," he points out.

"Yeah, but…" she holds out her phone, displaying a picture of Karma. It was taken a few weeks ago, from what the date says. "Here he isn't!"

She furiously taps on it and a new picture comes up. "This one was taken today." It's Karma again, except with the tie. "He's been wearing a tie for these last few days!"

"...I'm not following you…" he says, still extremely confused by this whole thing.

She closes her phone and turns around. He's afraid he's done something to upset her, until she speaks again. "Don't you get it? He used to not wear a tie but now he does...it can only mean one thing!"

 _Maybe it's that he's actually following dress code for once…_

"Something traumatic or changing came up in his life, and now he wants to make amends for it!"

 _What!?_ His eyes nearly pop out. _That's so specific!_

"It happens in every romance novel," she swoons. "I wonder if he's in love."

 _Romance!? In love!?_

 _This is getting weirder by the minute…_

"Nagisa-kun!" She snaps her fingers. "What's something that's happened, something _big_ , in the last week or so?"

"Oh! Um…" he names the first thing that comes to mind. "Okuda-san fell from the roof a few days ago…"

No reply.

"Nakamura-san?"

"Oh you are a GENIUS!" She grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him around. "You said he acted weird after that, which fits perfectly with what he's doing now! I knew it had something to do with love! Maybe he's missing her a lot…oh, sorry, Nagisa-kun." She stops shaking him and he wobbles around dizzily for a few seconds. She rubs her hands together and grins evilly. "Now we just have to think of a way to get him to admit it himself…"

He sweats nervously. _How did I get dragged into this?_

* * *

 **Thank you so much to the people who reviewed! Your support means a lot to me.**

 **I don't have much else to say, but feel free to leave a review if you spot any mistakes, or just to simply review.**

 **Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

From the moment he wakes up to his first steps on school concrete, he's pondering his actions.

An overcast, a perfect match to what he's feeling.

The uphill feels strangely steeper.

The main campus students' comments don't even register today.

Even the juice tastes bittersweet.

No one's outside on this day. He clenches a fist. _Probably all inside._ _With…_

 _Hold on!_ He stops dead-still. _Why am I getting so worked up about it?_ He looks down at his hands. Thank goodness they're not _shaking_ \- since when do _his_ hands ever _shake?_

 _All you have to do is tell her it was your fault in the first place, and apologize. I'm sure she'll take it well,_ dream-Nagisa consoles.

"As if it's that easy…" he mutters.

"What's easy?"

He swiftly spins around. What a coincidence. Nagisa.

"Didn't see you there, Nagisa-kun," he greets flawlessly. "I was talking about last night's homework, breezing right through the questions."

"Karma-kun?" Oh no, there are those worried eyes again. Walls up, defenses locked. "Is there anything troubling you?"

"Hm? Why do you ask?" He tries to display as nonchalant as a front as possible.

"I just wanted to check. Let's get to class, we don't want to be late!" He dismisses quickly, hurrying past the redhead.

 _That was weird_. He shoves his hands in his pockets and walks after him.

 _It's only eight-thirteen. We're both earlier than usual._

The wooden walls, screen door...everything looks so forlorn now. He tiptoes by the staff room - no need for his teachers to inquire about his well-being, too.

Last stop.

He's right outside the classroom now. He takes a deep breath. This is it. Just be what everyone's expecting - smooth, tough, smart - and you'll be fine.

The door yields to his force.

 _Alright, action!_ There are only a few students, less than a quarter of the full class. Nagisa sits blankly at his desk. Nakamura is scribbling in her notebook at a speed to rival Koro-sensei's. Isogai is staring out the window. Kayano is deeply immersed in a book. His eyes search the room for the desk he wants -

But it's empty.

He lets out a breath he doesn't know he's holding. _So she's not here yet. At least it gives me some time to form something -_

"K-Karma-kun?"

That voice.

Stuttering.

"Um, y-you're blocking the way…"

He doesn't have to look to know who it is.

He steps forward deliberately, then takes a good look at the girl before him. Everything about her seems normal, just that…

...her right arm is in a cast. It's simple, white and not too outstanding.

 _I'm the one who put her in that._

"Karma-kun?" She tilts her head in question.

He's about to reply when he hears footsteps behind him. Then before he knows it, everyone (or at least the four students that are there) is crowding her, asking what it was, is she okay, how glad they are to have her back -

He quietly slips away, she's in the door frame, she won't be able to see him. He seats himself as his classmates begin to calm down as well. He takes out his notebook, for the _sake_ of looking busy. The girl on his mind makes her way inconspicuously to her desk.

 _Why does it have to be so close to mine?_

He concentrates harder on the math notes in front of him.

 _I'll have to confess sooner or later._

 _Then why not now?_ Dream-Nagisa materializes in his thoughts again.

 _Right now?_

 _Yeah, there aren't many people around so your confession will go unnoticed,_ he explains. _Or do you want to do it when everyone's here?_

 _You're right._ What he said made sense. The less people around, the less likely he was to get overheard.

 _It's time to go in for the kill._

He stands up, pushing the chair away from him. He's about to walk over to her when -

"Oh Karma-kunnnn!"

 _Wasted._

He sits back down, hiding his mild disappointment. "Hello, Nakamura-san."

"Hey, I wanted to ask you something," she purrs.

"Go ahead." _I swear, if it's something about my troubles, I'll -_

"Why're you wearing a tie?"

"...why not?" is his response.

 _Oh, he is_ so _hiding something…_

"Really? It's not because you wanted to look _good_ for a certain someone?" She gives him a knowing look and covertly motions towards the desk to her right.

He throws out his best disgusted face. "Don't give me that."

She pouts. "Aw, someone's in a bad mood today."

 _Well maybe it's because he's trying to accomplish something but keeps getting interrupted…_

 _You're not getting interrupted,_ dream-Nagisa interrupts shrewdly. _You just can't face it._

 _Hey, whose side are you on anyways?_

He knows that it's true, though. He could easily fend off Nakamura and open up to Okuda in that very moment, but he doesn't.

"Hm, whatever," he replies, disregarding her attempts at prying.

She chuckles to herself as she walks away. _Overkill._

* * *

Everyone who arrives does the same thing. Enter, make a beeline to the class chemist. Ask about her health, to which she would tell them to "stop fussing" and "it's not a big deal".

The day passes quicker than she had expected, but the fact that "Okuda is disabled" ingrains itself more into her life as each event goes by.

She insists on not sitting out at PE.

"I-I have to continue pulling my own weight!" she pleads with Mr. Karasuma.

"...I know...but if you get hurt even more, that would be counter-productive," he says reluctantly. "I want to train you as much as anyone...but more injuries won't do you any good."

So she's sent back inside with Koro-sensei as company. She runs the entire way with tears in her eyes.

Then, science. Even her favourite subject becomes unenjoyable when they get to experiment with substances. Having a useless right hand means being left-handed, and being a righty using her left hand means knocking things over and overall clumsiness.

Lunch doesn't count as a subject, yet it's the worst of all. She eats outside like she usually does. What she _doesn't_ anticipate is how hard it is to use chopsticks with your non-dominant hand. Over half of it is left untouched when the designated period is over.

 _I_ could _ask someone for help..._ she shakes her head. _That would make me seem even more helpless than I already am. I have to prove I'm strong!_

She had a part in her fall, too. She should've put the ladder somewhere out of the way...or even been more aware…

She didn't want to be the type of person who blamed herself for everything, but she couldn't help feeling that way. No matter how many times Terasaka apologized to her (it had to be the _seventh_ by now) she would always reply genuinely with "It's fine, honestly." _I'm in this mess now, it's all I can do to help clean it up._

She can't _clean._

She can't write, can't flip pages, can't do this, can't do that, can't, can't, can't!

 _Is there anything I_ can _do?_

 _You can be useless,_ a snide voice in her head says.

 _Don't listen to that,_ she berates herself. _Only six more weeks to go. I can handle this._

 _I can be strong too._

The only thing that bothers her, just a teensy-tiny bit, was Karma.

What was he going to say?

He is also the only one who didn't fuss over her. She's grateful, but a little confused.

 _He hasn't spoken to me all day._

Her point proves right when the last bell of the day tolls, and he's one of the first to leave.

 _Oh well. I'll just talk to him tomorrow!_

She gathers her things and shoulders her bag, trying not to let it slip.

 _Add it to the list of things I can't do._

She hurries out after saying her goodbyes and glances up. The sky has cleared up a bit - there a still a few clouds, but everything's sunny for the most part. It's not too late in the day, the shadows are still short.

She broods about what she learned in science today as she heads home.

Halfway there, she's free of the mountain, but still on the streets. She's about to turn the corner when -

"Hey, loser!"

Class B students.

She turns her head slightly and carries on.

 _Ignore them._

"Why aren't you answering? Don't tell me you're brain's too mush to understand simple language, huh?"

 _Words mean nothing._

"Answer me!" She hears footsteps, quick steps behind her. She tries to break into a run but - too late.

She's surrounded.

"Already weakened, hm?" The one in front eyes her cast. She backs away slowly, only to bump into someone. She turns around, hoping that it's someone she knows.

Fat chance.

"You've got no escape, 3-E. Let's teach you a lesson you won't forget." He cracks his knuckles menacingly and steps forward.

She gulps. _Maybe without a fractured forearm I could have survived for a bit...but with it? I don't have a chance…_

 _Maybe I'm not strong after all…_

 _Crash!_

Suddenly there's broken glass at his feet. He recoils, but catches himself just in time. He looks past her, this time.

"Ooh, it's Akabane!"

 _K-Karma!?_

"That's right," Karma Akabane drawls. She can hear him advancing. In her mind, she can see it. She'd hate to be the bullies now.

"Are you screwing with my classmate?"

"Hell yeah we are," the lead one laughs. "And whatcha gonna do about - gah!"

She hears the sound of bodies hitting the ground and she shuts her eyes. The last time she was subject to the horrors Karma was able to dish out, she couldn't look at him the same for a week…

"Hey." She feels a tap on the head and opens her eyes. It's Karma, looking worried. He visibly relaxes. "Good to see you're okay."

 _But now he knows I'm useless._

* * *

 _C'mon, tell her!_

 _Shut up!_ He snaps inwardly.

"Did you really beat them all up?" From this perspective, she looks small. Childish, even.

"Yeah…but it was a bit hard to do, since it's out in the open…"

"Oh…" She looks worried, he doesn't know why, it was _Class B_ students who he beat up. What a bunch of jokers.

"Well...thank you for saving me, Karma-kun." She bows, showing her gratitude.

"You know, you don't have to be so polite about it," he tells her. "I'd do it for anyone who's getting bullied."

"Well…" She says awkwardly. "I th-think I'd better get going now…thank you again!" She bows once more then turns to leave.

 _Chase after her!_

"W...wait!" He runs after her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'll come with you. Just in case."

 _And to tell you that it was my fault._

* * *

 _Does he really think I'm so weak that I need a bodyguard?_

She tries not to let her angst show, besides, she could welcome the company. "Thank you again." She resists the urge to bow - she was probably being too liberal with them anyways.

The two lapse into silence as they set off again.

 _Is this what having friends is like?_

 _I hope I'm not acting too strange._

* * *

She doesn't talk much, but he's fine with it. He has things to say to her that just _won't come out -_ no doubt they would be talking much more if he said them.

 _Well, what's the worst that could happen?_

 _She could never talk to you again, for starters,_ his mind suggests in the form of Nagisa. _That probably wouldn't happen, but the guilt would be too hard to bear, huh? Just think about it!_

 _I'd better hurry,_ he thinks absentmindedly. He's taken to ignoring him for now. _Her apartment's coming up._

* * *

Soon enough, they reach the bottom of the building she lives in without any other disruption.

"Goodbye, Karma-kun. I-I'll see you tomorrow!" She bows one more time. _I hope he doesn't think I'm being...whatever I'm being._

He watches her go, but remembers just as she's about to go in. "Okuda-san, wait!" _Should I? Should I!?_

"Karma-kun?" She totters back to where he's standing.

 _I wonder what it is._

He fingers his jacket.

 _This is it._

 _I'll tell her now._

 _Say it!_

"Never mind." He puts on a (hopefully) confident smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"O-ok...I'll see you tomorrow!" She smiles back and enters the building.

 _What was that all about?_

He curses himself for being so chicken.

He can partake in a four-on-one street fight and _win_ , ace all of his tests when no one else in his class does, fake suicide all for the purpose of an assassination...but not _this_.

He's guilty.

And it's killing him.

* * *

 **Author note will be at the end now.**

 **So here's chapter 3. Sorry for any OOC, mostly on Karma's part, I hope to allude to a reason for that in a later chapter.**

 **Also, I headcanon that Karma only plays Animal Crossing: New Leaf on his 3DS...**

 **(Did I use that word right? I hope I did and I don't look like a fool.)**

 **When Koro-sensei went to pick him up for the summer festival, he was on Tortimer Island catching beetles.**

 **Line breaks note a change in perspective or setting.**

 **Please leave a review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Day two of having an immobile right hand and it's not going any better.

In fact, it's quite the opposite.

At the current moment, she's alone.

No, scratch that. She's definitely not alone. Her chances of finishing her lunch were slim, she decided. Why not spend the rest of lunch inside, she thought. It'll be calming, being around the rest of my classmates, she told herself.

Boy, was she wrong.

"Okuda-san, back early, hm?" The yellow octopus joins her as she walks down the hallway. He's busily munching on some sort of rice ball - his lunch, presumably. She thinks wistfully of her own - half-eaten in her bag. _I guess I'll eat it when I get home._

"Y-yes, Koro-sensei," she replies, bowing. "I thought I'd go inside and j-join my classmates."

"Now, now, what did we say about stuttering?" Her teacher rests a slimy limb on her shoulder. "You must be confident, Okuda-san. If not when speaking to others, at least when speaking to me. I feel I must deserve at least that."

She smiles abashedly. "Sorry, Koro-sensei. I will do better next time."

This is what she loves about being in Class 3-E with a teacher like him. He knows each and every one of his students strengths and weaknesses. He perfected their strengths and built upon their faults. She knew he did it for her.

Right at the door, she is greeted by Sosuke Sugaya, the class artist.

"Okuda-san! Just in time! I have an idea!" He gently takes her left arm and pulls her in.

"Eep!" She squeals in surprise.

"Not so hard, now!" Tomohito Sugino appears out of nowhere. "You don't want to risk getting her injury worse!"

It makes sense. As a baseball player, he would know all about injuries concerning wrists and arms.

"Thank you, Sugino-kun." She flashes him a grateful look.

"Hey, hold out your arm." She directs her attention back to the gray-haired artist. She complies, offering her left arm.

"Other right," he corrects. She takes in what's in front of her. Brushes, paints, markers, and...an artist.

"A-are you going to…?"

"White is a bland color," he tells her bluntly. "If you're going to be wearing that thing for a while, I figured it might as well look good."

 _He's going to...decorate it?_

"No, no...it's fine!" She assures embarrassedly. She doesn't need people fussing and fretting over her...much less spending their time doing unnecessary things for her.

Not to be ungrateful...but there's really no way to word that politely.

She doesn't say _that_ , though, it would sound strange coming from the meek Okuda. So she feebly resists, stuttering despite her promise to Koro-sensei.

"Resistance is futile," he says jokingly. "Now, what should I draw…? It's very contoured, this should make for an _interesting_ landscape…"

The last thing she needs is for it to stand out more. She doesn't know how to say no without coming off as rude or selfish and ungrateful. She looks back to Koro-sensei for aid - but he's gone. Probably finished his rice ball and gone back to get another one.

Luckily, someone else comes to her rescue.

"You can't do that, Sugaya-kun!"

 _Isogai-kun..._ she breathes a hidden sigh of relief. He's always been perceptive and sensible, he could probably see what she's feeling. It's a nice feeling to know that someone had your back -

"We _all_ need a chance to sign it!"

"I-Isogai-kun!?" _Even him?_ "N-no, please, you don't have to -"

A new voice joins the fray. "Of course we have to, Okuda-chan!" It's bright and bubbly, like a sunny day. It's Hinano Kurahashi.

"Everyone knows that casts are meant to be signed," she explains, as if it's obvious.

"Actually…" Kotaro Takebayashi pushes his glasses back up, a surefire sign of a long information session incoming.

"Shhh," the bug-hunter interrupts, putting a finger to his lips and stopping him mid-sentence. "Don't ruin my moment."

Sugaya takes advantage of the momentary confusion to inscribe his name on her cast - beautifully drawn calligraphy in black ink.

"S-Sugaya-kun…!"

"My turn!" Kurahashi grabs a red marker and scrawls her name beside Sugaya's in her messy yet adorable handwriting. "There, who's next?"

Yuma Isogai is next to volunteer. He graciously accepts a lavender pen from Sugaya, but hesitates before marking her. "Are you okay with this, Okuda-san?" He lowers his voice so only she can hear it.

Her earlier judgment of him proves true. However, he _is_ a bit late, there's no point in saying no when two people have already signed it. "W-well, I -"

 _\- guess so, as long as it's not too much._ Her sentence is left forever unfinished to the fault of an unknowing student.

* * *

He's at his desk. The previous day's anxiety has faded. The prospect of admitting to his fault still terrifies him somehow. It makes no sense, no sense at all - he has absolutely no trouble with feats of courage, so this roadblock utterly confuses him. He's pushed it to the back of his mind for now - mulling over it will only distract him from his duties.

It's currently lunch period, but he doesn't eat. He usually eats while skipping the classes he feels are unnecessary - eating with other people just won't sit well with him.

No one is taking the liberty of talking to him. He isn't bothered, it's a usual occurrence and he's usually not present anyways.

He's on a break. He knows Okuda always eats outside. Maybe she likes eating alone as well. He wonders how she's faring - it couldn't be easy to eat with a non-dominant hand.

He looks up to the sound of the door opening, revealing a certain violet-haired girl on the other side.

 _Speak of the devil._ Although, he supposes, maybe 'devil' wasn't the correct word to use in this scenario. How about…

His mind flashes back to the time when Sugino had described Okuda to him. It was about when _she_ was describing her super ex-lax, Victoria Falls. He had said something about a "scary glint in her eye", something she would only exhibit when talking about science.

Everyone in this class was a devil in their own right. For some, it was less obvious than others, but for people like Karma - he didn't have to hide it. He knew it was his nature, he didn't care if it pushed them away. It was what he was used to.

He shakes himself out of unusual deep thoughts and is met by the sight of, again, a crowd.

What surprises him most about it is that...he's _angry_.

"Jeez," he mutters.

"Why don't ya'll give it a break?"

He doesn't say _give her a break_ because he wants to protect his pride.

He's tired of seeing it all the time. It's not jealousy, it's just weariness. Seeing them all over her is a testimony to his guilt. Maybe he doesn't want to be reminded anymore.

 _I'll apologize...someday._

* * *

After hearing Karma defend her, and her friends backing off (they didn't want to risk incurring the wrath of Akabane) she felt torn between two sides. She appreciated the attention, not in a pompous way of course, but she also wanted to be treated the same as any other. Her only misgiving about voicing her feelings were her being seen in a wrong light.

Karma had done more than defend her, however; he inspires her. If someone could go to great lengths for her, then why couldn't she do the same?

"Th-thank you, everyone," she bows. "But I'd like it if y-you could treat me the same as before a-and forget about my disability."

 _Just like that, back to square one with self-doubting,_ she thinks glumly. What was it she promised Koro-sensei? To be confident?

"Well if that's what you want, then that's what you'll have," Isogai assures, clapping her on the back. "We'll respect your wishes."

"Thank you, Isogai-kun," she replies, pleased her voice is straight.

"But…" Sugaya frowns, eyeing her cast. "It looks weird with just a few signatures. I can cover them up with white or we can all sign it, if you want. Either way, it'll make it stand out less."

Faced with another choice? All her confidence, down the drain. "Um, I-I'm fine, S-Su -"

""Haven't you heard her?"

* * *

Invisible glass shatters, setting free an onslaught of water, washing away sense and breaking limits.

"Lay off her already!"

All conversation in the room comes to a halt. He'd raised his voice higher than intended - whatever. The amount of people witness is bound to change.

He gets up, trying to suppress his emotion. He walks with controlled rage to the door, ignoring curious faces and striding past shady whispers. The door opens to his teacher, who is happily eating a rice ball.

"Sensei, I'm skipping again, hope you don't mind," he mutters as he slips past, not bothering to stage an assassination.

His teacher is powerless to stop him, as always.

 _I need to stop this._

 _The only way to stop is to tell._

He touches upon the subject that has been thought of countless times.

 _What am I scared of?_

 _Just be upfront about it._

 _Why don't you tell someone?_

That's just it. He has to keep up a front. Letting anyone, _anyone_ in is not an option.

 _Tell someone and you'll feel better._

 _Share the burden._

"I'll tell her tomorrow," he resolves, unconsciously saying it out loud, going against his own thoughts.

Even before it happens, he knows he's going to have to step up his game. There's been way too many people sneaking up on him in the last couple of days. Two people, and that's two too many.

"Tell who what?"

It sounds gruff and uncaring.

"Terasaka-kun."

"That's me."

"Care to tell me why you're following?" He turns around, hiding his mortification. He's ready to punch the lights out of him in the blink of an eye.

"Hey, don't get so mad with me," Ryoma Terasaka protests, stepping back.

 _That's right, cower beneath me._

"I just wanted to see what's wrong."

"Ha, you?" the redhead laughs harshly. "Of all people, _you?_ "

"I know how stupid it sounds, I get it, me, the big bully," he says sheepishly. "But after...what happened, I want to get..more...involved. With you guys."

 _Guilt can do wonderful things._

Karma's not even listening. He's pinching himself in various places.

"What're you doing!?"

"Gotta make sure this isn't a dream. If you're having deep thoughts, I must be dreaming."

"Thanks for the compliment," Terasaka snorts. The next moment, he's reeling from pain.

"Shit, what was that for?" He shouts, his cheek red from being slapped. Hard.

"The second reason would be that you're a thought projection," Karma explains offhandedly, examining his hand. "I wouldn't be able to slap you if you were."

"Hmph." He crosses his arms and leans against the wall. "Mind telling me what's up?"

"...don't look at me like that!"

"It's weird to see _you_ being the understanding one," Karma says finally. "I didn't know you could understand _anything_."

"...you're right, this is stupid." Terasaka turns and head back into the building. Karma is open-mouthed. One, did Terasaka just _admit_ to him being right?

Second, _did that just happen?_

 _Oh, boy._ He crouches down, trying to comprehend it. Terasaka. Big, strong, isn't good with words. Did he just _offer_ to listen to his _problems?_

 _Like hell I'd go to him._

They part ways.

Terasaka goes back inside, grumbling.

 _That was stupid. Why did I think he would ever open up to me?_

Karma walks off.

 _Sheesh...what the hell was that?_

* * *

"He's like your knight in shining armor," Nakamura teases relentlessly.

Okuda just buries her head in her arm and wishes for the day to be over.

* * *

 **Alright! So, sorry I'm dragging this on longer. It's kind of become my centerpoint, like, everything's revolving around it. I mean him not telling, of course. I promise the next chapter will have more interaction.**

 **Until next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

"I have something new planned for today!"

 _New? Maybe I should skip then._

"I know it's nowhere near exam time, but it's better to start early than late, so for that reason, I will be assigning you all study partners!"

 _...joy._

He stands up abruptly and makes for the door. "Koro-sensei, I hope you don't mind. I'm skipping today."

"Ah!" In a burst of speed, an octopus is suddenly blocking his way.

"I was hoping you wouldn't today, Karma-kun."

He lazily whips out a knife. "I can do whatever I want."

Koro-sensei holds up his many tentacles in protest. "Please, stay for a while. It is my duty as your teacher to try my utmost to prepare and educate you for -"

"Right, right," he quickly changes tracks. If his teacher's going to those lengths, it must be important. A little more studying never hurt anyone. "You can stop with the speech."

"Phew," his teacher looks relieved and hastily returns to the front of the class. Everyone laughs to some degree.

"I have already picked out your study partners."

Groans and complaints are heard around the classroom to these words.

"I have based them off of what I observe during my lessons and assignments. Whoever you have as your partner will be able to work well with you and greatly complement your strengths and weaknesses." And with that, he takes out a piece of paper and begins rattling off names.

"Nagisa-kun, Kayano-san."

 _Well, it was a given,_ he thinks as the two exchange excited glances.

"Sugino-kun, Kanzaki-san."

"There seems to be a pattern," Hinata Okano duly notes.

 _He's matchmaking again…_

...which is proved correct by the pink colour displayed on his face.

 _That means I'm most likely to get…_

"Karma-kun, Okuda-san."

He breathes out, keeping his visage expressionless.

His unkillable teacher continues to list names, _Hayami-san and Chiba-kun, Kataoka-san and Isogai-kun,_ the list goes on and on, but it doesn't register in his ears. Unprecedented anger rises up, much like it has of late.

He gets up yet again, hoping to stir up mayhem. "I don't want any part in this matchmaking. I've stayed long enough."

He tries to ignore his "study" partner's semi-hurt look. That's right, if he leaves, she'll be alone.

Just as he had planned, his classmates begin adding their own opinions on the matter.

"Don't meddle in our love lives!"

"Yeah, you creepy octopus!"

"Give us real study partners!"

Just as noted previously, one of their teacher's weaknesses is pressure. He flinches humorously at each and every one of the outbursts. It doesn't take long for him to crack.

"Agh! I'm sorry, class!"

He seats himself with a satisfied smirk. _Too easy._

His teacher bows embarrassedly, over and over. "Please, forgive me!"

Rio Nakamura, who may be having too much fun, flips out a BB gun. "This is the second time you've meddled in our love lives! We will never forgive you!"

She looses the bullets on him, a few students following suit.

"Wait! Wait! I can explain!"

Karma can only laugh at the show going on before him. Their teacher is hunched over his desk, tentacles on loose paper. BBs hit the blackboard and clatter to the ground.

"They really are your study partners! You work well with each other!"

"Don't give us that crap!"

"We all know you just want to see romance!"

This continues for the rest of the morning. Karma's almost glad he didn't skip.

Then lunchtime rolls around. He's mentally debating whether he should vault out the window or go through the door like a _sane_ person when _she_ eliminates both options.

"Karma-kun?"

"Mm?" He's getting pretty good at hiding his feelings by now.

"Will...will you study with me?" she stammers, holding out a mathematics textbook. A bag hangs on her forearm.

He sizes her down. "You didn't really believe what that creepy octopus said, did you?"

"N-no!" She shakes her head rapidly. "I just thought that…" Her hand falls limply to her side. A smile appears on her face. "N-never mind."

 _I turned her off,_ he realizes as he sees her back.

Appropriate measures must be taken, of course.

He slides in front of her and holds out his hand.

"Would you like to study with me, Okuda-san?"

He may be violent, but he's never been one for losing comrades.

She blushes and smiles shyly. "Oh, y-yes!"

He allows himself to smile back briefly. _Right, now that's settled. This is the perfect opportunity._

Once they are both seated, she opens it to a marked page. She reaches inside the bag she brought, bringing out a container. He's so caught up in the moment he forgot it's lunch period.

"Um, do you mind if we start with this formula?"

* * *

She's doing a better job with not stuttering. It's Karma, after all. She can be comfortable around him - he's very easy to talk to.

"Sure - we can start anywhere you like," he says easily.

"Make sure you eat your lunch while studying, Okuda-san," her teacher suddenly calls, breezing through the classroom. She jumps a little, startled.

"Okay, Koro-sensei," she replies, adjusting her glasses.

"You would almost think he's like our mom or something," Karma comments.

The image of a Koro-sensei wearing a dress and a long wig suddenly floats into her mind. She shudders. "That would be…"

He shivers as well. "Weird."

She nods in agreement, opening her lunch. It's the usual, rice, boiled spinach, fish. She inwardly grimaces, recalling how difficult it was to eat with her left hand.

 _I have to do it this time. Everyone can see it._

"So you want me to test you?"

"Yes, please."

She picks up the chopsticks, pleased that her hand's at least not trembling like it was before.

"So...there are three polygons -"

"Nyah ha ha!"

"You're back again?" her study partner says, a note of irritation present in his voice. "Just let us work in peace."

"I merely came to advise you. If you're going to study, you may want to do it outside."

"Outside?" _Is this another one of his matchmaking schemes?_

"This is another one of your matchmaking schemes, isn't it!" Karma accuses. She blinks in surprise.

"N-no! Of course not!" He's rapidly losing his composure and turning pink. "As your teacher, it is my role to make sure you have the best -"

The redhead holds up his hand. "Jeez, we've heard it _all_ before. Let's go." He gathers up their things and stands up, throwing Koro-sensei a dirty look.

To their chagrin, he looks relieved.

She packs up her lunch and follows Karma out the door.

"What a creep…" he mutters.

"But - I know he only wants the best for us…" she adds, trying to balance things out.

"Eh, whatever," he waves a hand. "Now we can study alone."

 _Alone._

To her horror, she feels herself slowly getting hotter. As in, blushing.

Why? She doesn't think of him romantically...she's been with him alone before, too, in the "courage test"...so why?

She lets out a small squeak, which _unfortunately_ catches his attention.

"Hm? Why're you so red?"

His gaze is simply one of concern. Nothing else.

She breathes out slowly. "Um, it's nothing."

 _I'm so socially awkward._

A breath of fresh air meets their next steps. There's no breeze and the sun is shining weakly through ribbons of clouds.

"Want to sit on the steps?" he suggests.

"Um...anywhere is fine," she answers, mirroring his earlier response.

He crouches down, getting comfortable. She attempts to do the same, however less graceful she is.

"I'm going to test you now, 'kay?"

"I hope I can remember how to do it," she tries to joke. He huffs and opens the book.

* * *

She's doing well. She correctly answered the questions regarding the formula so far.

 _As usual, she underestimated herself._

"Hmm, third one you've gotten right," he frowns at the book. "Are you sure you need to be studying for this one?"

"Oh - I guess I didn't have to after all…" she says.

"Um...sorry I made you do this with me…" she says quietly after a small pause.

"Ah, don't sweat it," he dismisses, putting his hands behind his head and laying down. "I'm just glad I was able to spend time with you."

 _But not in the way you think._

* * *

"I'm just glad I was able to spend time with you."

Now what are _those_ words supposed to mean?

Does he _like_ her?

Is he just being truthful?

"M-me, too."

 _No! Now does he think_ I _like_ him?

Things were so much easier before she had friends. Not that she was complaining.

She hoped these things plagued every girl...she didn't want to be the odd one out.

"Well, now that we're not studying, you can eat your lunch." He points to her unopened container.

"I-I guess so.."

She doesn't want to show her weakness. Out here, it's away from everyone else. She was _alone._

Now _he's_ here.

Add that to her insecurities spawned earlier…

She opens the container, smiling on the outside, tormented on the inside.

 _I just have to go for it!_

Still -

She picks up the chopsticks with her left hand, trying not to fumble them. She steals a quick glance at him - he's laying down. She still has a bit of time.

She quickly practices picking up - sloppy, but passable.

 _Now or never!_

He sits up abruptly.

She stops unexpectedly.

They look at each other for an awkward moment.

"What's wrong?" he finally asks.

"N-nothing!" she squeaks.

His gaze flits back and forth. Then his eyes narrow. "You're right handed, aren't you?"

 _Oh, now he knows._

Who knew that eating would ever be this nerve-wracking?

He smirks when she says nothing. "I get it. You can't use chopsticks with your left hand."

Suddenly, she feels vulnerable. Defenseless. "D-don't laugh at me…"

The smirk disappears as quickly as it came. "I'm not laughing. It happened to me once, you know." He flexes his right arm. "I broke it in a fight."

Her hands - hand - flies to her mouth. "Oh - so -"

"Hey, can I see those chopsticks?" he interrupts, extending an arm.

"Oh! Um, sure. She obliges, handing them over. He takes them in his right hand, scooting closer.

 _What's he doing…?_

She watches in bemusement as he picks up a clump of rice.

 _Is he going to eat it?_

It's not _his_ smiling mouth he brings it up to.

"Open up!"

Blush spreads all over her features. "W-what!?"

"If you can't feed yourself, I'll feed you," he explains, still smiling. As if it's the most amusing thing he's ever seen.

 _Does he like me_ is the first thing that comes to mind.

 _No no no no no!_

"B-but…" She looks behind them, to the open hallway. "What if someone...sees?"

"Does it matter?"

He's still smiling. Smirking.

 _Be grateful and take his offer._

Hesitantly, she leans forward and accepts the rice. Her eyes cast upwards for a _second_ \- revealing the eyes of Karma Akabane staring intently back at her.

 _Too close!_

She draws back, blushing madly. "I'm sorry!"

He recoils slightly as well, although not in any way fazed. "Did I jab you with the chopsticks?"

She peeks at him through her hand with a mixture of surprise and incredulity. It was _Karma,_ for god's sake - there was no way he, the _smart_ one, would be so oblivious to her feelings.

"It's just…"

The hilarity of the situation suddenly comes rushing in to her. The complete introvert, Okuda. Being _hand-fed_ by a _boy_.

"N-nothing!" she manages to say before bursting into a fit of giggles.

* * *

 _Did I go too far?_

"It's just...n-nothing!" she assures, then starts giggling madly.

 _I was just trying to get to know her better…_

 _...maybe feeding her wasn't the best way to go about it._

("Ooh! He made her laugh!" Nakamura cheers.

"Why did you drag me with you!?" Rinkah Hayami exclaims.)

Then it dawns on him. How could he, the _smart_ one, be so clueless? He's supposed to be "attuned" to the feelings of everyone around him - it's how he can read people so well, in fights or elsewhere.

 _If I can make light of this situation, maybe she won't think much of it…_

"Haha, sorry," he says cheerfully, as cheerfully as he dares to go until it would be out of character for him to do so. Withdrawing the chopsticks and setting them down next to her.

Keeping that smile.

"I said it - _hic_ \- it was nothing, though!" she responds, hiccuping because of the laughing.

"I made you feel uncomfortable, didn't I?" he corrects, wagging a finger. He leans forward and rests his hands on his knees. _This is_ not _helping._

* * *

 _I wasn't worried about anything. Of course he knows._

She pushes her glasses higher up her nose, an action she notices Takebayashi repeats a lot but she rarely replicates. "W-well…"

She wants to say, _I didn't mind it_ or something along those lines but she can tell - he's not listening anymore.

His new stance allows him to look over the field. His eyes are unusually unfocused - they don't have a purpose. Maybe he's looking into the horizon.

 _Solve a problem, then he's done with it,_ she reflects. He apologized to her, then refused her protests. _I should be more like that, instead of mulling over every single little thing._

She briefly wonders what's going on in his head. His eyes are always so - _hard._ That unforgiving stare that she's grown to stand.

"It's important for you to eat."

She jumps a little.

"Lunch is almost over. I can feed you if you want."

Oh, what the hell…! She can't wield a utensil with her left hand anyways. Just one thing's been bothering her, though.

"W-what about you? You haven't eaten anything!"

"I'll take that as a yes, then?" He pick up the chopsticks again.

Just as he's about to bring it to her mouth -

"Y-you can share mine, if you want!" she bursts out.

"Hm?" He looks surprised at her offer. She's sweating, waiting for his reaction. She doesn't want to give him the wrong idea!

"I could never do that," he frowns, as if sharing food is sacrilegious. He proceeds with what he's set out to do in the first place.

She can't take this. This overbearing kindness with nothing in return?

From the one named _Karma_ , no less.

"Give me those!" She snatches the chopsticks from his hand. His eyes widen. She knows she's being rude but she doesn't care. She's determined to give back to _Karma._

She wields the eating utensils with more skill than she's ever before - with her left hand, at least.

"O-open your mouth, please!"

She's blushing like crazy now, there's no point in hiding it. It's hard to say what expression he's showing - disbelief, amazement, skepticism, it's all there.

He breaks out seamlessly into a smirk. "I didn't know how forward you were, Okuda. Why don't you show this side of yourself more often?"

She's starting to regret her reckless actions. "J-just eat it, please!"

"If you say so." To her complete and utter astonishment, he complies.

("Indirect kiss! Indirect kiss!"

"Ugh! I'm going back inside.")

She was expecting him to refuse, or make her eat it instead. _He_ ate it.

 _Wait...didn't I use those exact same chopsticks?_

She vaguely recalls an awkward conversation with Yukiko Kanzaki and Kaede Kayano.

" _W-what's an indirect kiss, then?"_

" _Oh, Okuda-chan!"_

" _It's exactly what it sounds like. No real contact, there's a barrier of sorts in between. It has to be something that both your's and the other person's lips have touched. Like, a straw. Sharing drinks or food is where the most indirect kisses have come from."_

 _I'm not going to blush._

 _I'm not going to._

 _I won't._

"Why, thank you," he expresses through a mouthful of rice.

"D-do you want more?" she manages to grind out before almost choking on her spit.

"Pass the chopsticks. You still have to eat," he counters, ignoring her offer.

She does, but there's a war going on in her head.

 _Calm down, Manami. It's just an indirect kiss._

 _Agh! What if he likes me!_

 _Wait, why am I getting riled up about it?_

She breathes in deeply, and out slowly before accepting her next bite.

 _I don't like him like that. I don't._

 _I'm nowhere close to even having a relationship with him._

She has to consciously stop her eyes from widening, lest her redhead friend find out.

 _Why am I thinking that far!?_

 _Having friends is so complicated!_

 _But I love my friends!_

 _Is Karma my friend?_

Karma is blissfully unaware of the banter inside her head. He continues feeding her until one of their fellow students has to call them in.

 _I thought it would never end…_

"Thank you very much, Karma-kun." She bows and has to stop herself from toppling over, she's so light-headed.

"I can do the same tomorrow, if you'd like." He extends a hand to steady her.

She feels a shock at his touch. His hand is warm and rough - light as well.

"If it's not too much t-trouble…!"

This boy is influencing her in so many different ways.

* * *

 **So I'm not dead! yay**

 **School started, so it's been pretty busy and hectic for these past few weeks. Which unfortunately meant, for me, that I was not able to get any writing done. And high school. That's also unfortunate.**

 **Anyways I'm back online so, joy.**

 **Expect fluff + revelations next chapter, btw.**

 **Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

"And that's it for today, class! Don't forget your homework, and I wish you all a wonderful weekend!"

There is general bustle as everyone starts to pack up their belongings, Okuda included. She strategically tips her books into her bag in a way that her right hand remains immobile. Too late, she spots a pencil slowly rolling off her pile of books, doomed to a shattered fate. She braces for the strike of the pencil against wooden floorboards, but it never comes.

"You should be more careful," Karma reprimands, swooping in just in time to catch the object.

"I will, thank you," she apologizes, glancing through the window. Gray skies, threatening to break their water. Better get home fast.

What's up with him? He's been coming to save her more than often this week. It's like Nakamura had said -

" _He's your knight in shining armor."_

She tucks the pencil behind her ear as she's too lazy to dig out her pencil case, which is buried under her mound of books. She places a plastic slipcover over the top just in case they get rained on.

Karma waits for her as she shoulders her bag. It's been a routine lately. They'll walk home together, he'll drop her off and then continue on his own. Maybe it was spawned from the first day, where she narrowly avoided being beaten thanks to the redhead, she didn't know. She was eternally grateful, though, and that was all that mattered.

"See you next week!"

"G'bye!"

"So we're walking home today, right?"

"Yes, Karma," she sighs. He asks the question every day, in a nonchalant fashion but persistently so. "You already know it."

"I'll see you two tomorrow, then? At the library?" Nakamura calls, packing up beside the pair.

 _Right, we have that science project._ "Tomorrow," she confirms.

"Sure."

 _At least her matchmaking schemes have stopped...for now._

"Okay, I'm ready." She stands up and pushes in her chair neatly, dusting herself off with her one available hand.

They set off on a comfortable pace, returning and initiating various goodbyes and reminders. The path down is not a difficult one, but she has to adjust every now and then, eliciting help from Karma.

 _It's nice to have friends like this._

The silence between them, one could describe as awkward - but strangely, it's not. With anyone else, even someone like Nagisa, or Koro-sensei, she would be panicking, racking her brains for something to say, but Karma...he makes it easy. She sincerely enjoys his company, and she hopes he does as well.

They have been on the path for about two minutes when he speaks up.

"I have something to tell you." He's unusually demure with his hands in his pockets and a thoughtful look on his face.

"Okay," she replies in what she hopes to be an encouraging tone. He's done so much for her, being a good listener is the least she can do.

It's impossible to tell what's going on in that mind of his. He has that same contemplating expression, dragging the moment on and on until he finally opens his mouth and -

A crack and a flash.

Water is spilt yet again, drenching whoever is unfortunate enough to get caught in the downpour. Sadly, that means Karma and Okuda.

"Shit," Karma curses, breaking into a run. "Follow me, my place is closer!"

She hurriedly chases after him, she has no desire to get home with soaked schoolbooks and a cold for the weekend on top of a possibly infected arm.. She shields her casted arm under her uniform.

 _Wait, if his place is closer then why do we drop me off first?_ She wonders while sprinting as fast as she can through the school grounds. _That's no fair to him, he's really going great lengths for me already._

It doesn't take long at all for two teenagers to run from school to home fueled by weather-induced adrenaline and a desire to get dry, even if one is weighed down by heavy school materials and a one-arm swing. Once they are both safe inside his building, she drops her bag and clutches the wall for support, leaving a wet streak down it.

"Whew...new...record…" Karma pants. "You went...pretty fast with only one arm and a heavy bag."

"Aah…" She can't find the strength to speak, it feels like she just ran a marathon. Which is true, to some extent. She slides down the wall, hitting the floor with a dull thud. _Breathe in, breathe out. Control is what you need._

With some difficulty, she manages to slow down her pants to a passable regular breathing speed. Karma is examining his clothes, which, of course, are totally soaked, through and through. She doesn't even want to look at her own - she can feel them, sodden and weighing a ton. It's with heavy eyes that she looks out into the downpour again - she'll have to go back out there to get back home. She lifts her bag and hoists it on her shoulder. "I'll walk home, Karma, thank you."

She takes two steps when a strong hand grips her shoulder. She turns back in surprise to see Karma. Concerned. "Come up with me. It's too heavy to go out there again."

She looks into those rarely concerned eyes, and she desperately wants to accept - but she'll just be a burden. She regretfully turns away. "I-I can't, you've done a lot for me already -"

"You're coming, and that's that." He fully turns her around and practically drags her into the elevator. Shocked by his forcefulness, she doesn't make a move to stop him until it's too late.

"But...Karma..!"

 _Ding!_ The doors slide closed, cutting her off.

"You can call your parents when we get there. You're wet and miserable, and you're already here," he says. "There's no point in going back out."

What he says makes sense, but it's all wrong.

He lapses into silence, allowing her to mull over her thoughts.

 _I'm_ so _useless, it's all because of this stupid right hand! If I hadn't fallen, maybe none of this would've happened…_

She'd promised herself she wouldn't feel any resentment towards Terasaka, but it sure was hard not to. She definitely was feeling hated by herself, though. She tried to picture those feelings melting away, dissolving, gone forever, get that negative energy out. It just kept returning tenfold.

The doors open again before long, on the fourth floor. She drags her bag behind her, doggedly following in Karma's footsteps. The halls are a nice, creamy colour, lit by beige lamps. The floor is laminated hardwood, thankfully, so the water can be cleaned out easily. The entire space generally gives off a nice, homey feeling. It reminds her of her own.

He stops in front of a kobicha-coloured door and unlocks it, swinging open without a word. The apartment is fairly well-lit, clean, and spacious. There is a mat at the side of the door with a one pair of shoes on it, soon two, then three.

She pulls the door closed and stops at the edge of the mat.

"Um, I don't want to track water in…"

"It's fine, I'll just have Ms Sasaki clean it up later," he waves her worries off, already heading towards a darker room. His bedroom, she expects, to change out of the wet clothes.

Oh, that's right. She doesn't have a spare change - she couldn't have anticipated this.

 _Oh, don't tell me I"ll have to wear his clothes..._ she doesn't even try to stop herself from blushing. _Just like in all the rom-com mangas…_

He comes out not a minute later, all dressed in casual wear and his hair slightly ruffled. Carrying a pile of folded clothes and a towel. "Here, figured you didn't have any extra, so borrow these for now."

She doesn't know whether to laugh madly or cry incessantly. She settles for a simple 'thank you' and takes the clothes.

"There's a bathroom there, or you can change in my room," he calls while heading into the main area.

"I-I'll take the bathroom…" she mutters. Her bag stays on the mat against the wall.

* * *

Checking out the bathroom has revealed it's too small to maneuver comfortably. So here she finds herself in Karma's room, with the door closed (and locked). It's a simple layout, bed on one side, dresser on the other, shelf holding various objects at the back. There is a single lamp on the dresser and a ceiling light as well.

She lays out the clothes he has chosen for her. Nothing too revealing or big and shouty, solid colours. It looks like it fits her as well. They all smell faintly of...something unexplainably nice. It's more than likely Karma's.

She carefully undresses, one article at a time. The only difficulty she has is with her right arm, but it's over in a bit. Undoing her hair from its braid, she rubs the towel all over, resolving to succeed without making a total mess.

She emerges from the room, now dressed in clothes that smell of _Karma._ Not that it's a bad scent. It's quite relaxing, soothing, actually, the smell of Akabane...she just can't place what it is. It's sort of like a generic Asian family's smell, except something _more_.

"Um...is there anywhere I can leave these to dry?" She asks, showing her drenched uniform.

He glances around before replying. "Right there will have to do," he says, pointing to a set of hooks beside the exit door. His other hand is holding a glass of what she assumes is water.

Once everything's all sorted out, she takes her bag to inspect damages. Unzipping it reveals the slip cover damp and soggy, but under, mostly dry. She breathes a sigh of relief. The cost to replace the books would be too much for her.

"So everything's fine?" He takes a sip from his cup.

"Yes...thankfully." She folds her bag closed again and sets it aside. "C-can I have a phone?"

He trots off, nodding, without a backwards glance.

"...phew…" She takes the front of her shirt and flaps it back and forth, airing it out. "It feels different, somehow…"

 _Wait…_

She looks down.

 _That's right. I took it off because it was wet too. But now I'm not wearing it...wearing Karma's clothes…_

"This is so awkward…" she half coughs/cries. It's only with Karma that she's ever found herself in these types of situations...she could've easily controlled herself at any of these times, yet she finds herself in _another_ one…

There isn't a plausible reason she can think of. One of the _implausible_ reasons why she sticks around him is because she has _feelings_ (ew, feelings) for him...which is why it's implausible.

"Phone," he says, coming back, and hands it to her. She doesn't say anything, still caught up in implausible reasons. She absentmindedly dials in her phone number.

"Hello?" says the scratchy voice from the other end.

"Hello? It's me, Manami. (pause) I'm at my _friend_ Karma's house because it was raining really hard and we were already walking together and his house was the closest." She steams red for a moment, then seems to calm down. "No, nothing like that!" She leaves what was said to the redhead's extremely active imagination.

"Yes, I'm fine - wait, what!? N-n -"

"What is it?" He presses. He's looking _very_ interested in their phone call.

"They c-can't pick me up...so they told me to spend the night here until it stops raining in the morning…"

"I guess that's fine…" he begins, then frowns. "You don't have a toothbrush though. Or anything else. That'll be a problem."

"Actually…" She smiles sheepishly. "I keep toiletries in my bag, just in case…"

He raises a skeptical but impressed eyebrow.

She blushes. "J-just in case!"

 _Of course it makes sense...I bring my toothbrush but not an extra change of clothes…!_

"Well, we can get a start on that project before dinner," he chuckles. "Ms Sasaki will stop by later to give us a hand."

 _My moment was ruined earlier, but now I have plenty of time._

* * *

Three hours later. Okuda's pretty proud of herself. She's managed to finish a meal without having Karma feed her. Looks like she's learning.

"Thank you for the dinner, Ms Sasaki!"

Ms Sasaki was an older woman, gray-streaked chestnut hair, very kind, caring, and a 'housewife' sort of air about her. She was apparently Karma's 'babysitter' while his parents were away.

"I helped too," Karma comments through a mouthful of rice.

"Don't talk while chewing," the older woman gently scolds. "And everyone helped, so thank yourselves for the meal."

Okuda looked through the clear window, and to the city skyline outlined by a glowing sunset. A few clouds were left over from the day's storm, mostly shredded, dotted here and there.

"If it's stopped raining, do you think my parents will want me back?" She asks worriedly.

"Nah, you can stay," Karma says lazily, leaning back in his chair.

 _Does he_ want _me to stay over?_

Such an enigma.

"Do you want me to stay, too, dearies? I don't relish the thought of you two being alone at night here," Ms Sasaki offers, worry showing on her lines. She gathers up their three plates and carries them over to the sink.

"We'll be fine," Karma reassures her. "I'm more than able to kill - er, incapacitate anyone trying to kidnap us."

"Oh my! Well…" She looks worried for a moment more, then smiles hesitantly. "I suppose I shouldn't question your combat skills. I'll be here for a little while longer then I've got to get home. I'll clean up, why don't you two go back into our living area and do whatever you young'uns do these days."

"C'mon," Karma motions.

Once they're out of earshot, Okuda voices the 'shower thought' that has been on her mind all dinner. "K-Karma, you act...different around her."

"Yeah," he sighs. "I have to be nice to her, she takes care of me, and I'm grateful for that, but she can be a bit overprotective sometimes. I don't want her thinking I'm some sort of juvenile delinquent or something."

"B-but…" She almost afraid to say it, but it's Karma. He would never hurt her.

"Y-you sort of...are…"

"Which is why I can't have her knowing, right?" He grins devilishly. "Do you want to work on the project a bit more?"

"I-If you want to!"

"Okay, let's not," he decides, surprising her.

"Wh-why not?" She blurts out, totally caught off guard.

"You said 'if I want to', but I don't want to." He moves to sit down on the couch, grabbing the TV remote and flipping it on. She stands by the coffee table, unsure of what to do. At last, she brings herself to sit down next to Karma.

Some sort of sport is on, baseball, it looks like.

"Hey, isn't that the pitcher that Sugino's obsessed with?"

She squints. She doesn't know which player is which, though… "Is that the one that hits the ball?"

When he gives her a strange look, she knows she hit the wrong mark. "The pitcher is the one that throws the ball. Do you know how to play baseball?"

"N-no…"

"Then I'll teach you."

"T-teach?" _I'd be delighted to take baseball lessons from you!_ Why does the idea appeal to her so much?

"Right...so that's the pitcher, the one that throws the ball...the one hitting the ball, the one that we guarded so closely, remember?"

The evening drags on while Karma teaches Okuda the basics of baseball non-stop, only paused when Ms Sasaki has to leave.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Manami Okuda. Be good, Karma. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Th-thank you!"

"Yeah, see you."

"So...I think that's about it. Sasaki's leaving, so we should probably get to sleep soon," he continues. The night has fully fallen, the blinds are drawn, and lamps glowing. After about an hour of baseball tutoring sessions, she's beginning to feel the tiredness gnaw at her.

"Okay," she responds.

The baseball game is long over, the TV turned off, and she retreats into the bathroom first.

Brushing teeth isn't as hard as eating with one's left hand. Everything is cleared up quickly and concisely.

Before long, they are both ready for sleep. She's wearing the same clothes he'd given her before.

She knows what's coming. She's read enough manga to be sure.

"I'll sleep on the floor," she cuts him off before he can even make a sound.

His eyes narrow. "Are you sure? I mean, it's raining again…and you have that cast..."

That's true. The soft, muffled _pitter-patter_ of rain hitting walls and windows plays in the background. Every now and then the rumble of thunder reverberates through the room.

"Irrelevant information," she murmurs. In actuality, she has a minor fear of thunder and lightning, but she doesn't want to take up the bed. She'll have to survive it for this night.

"You're good, right?"

"Mmm."

She has a few (million) blankets and a few pillows as accommodations. _Could be worse,_ she reflects.

"Good night, then."

* * *

 _Rrrmmmb._

"Eep!"

This is the, what, sixty-millionth time she's had to suppress a squeal because of the thunder. It's an irrational, stupid fear, but deep-seated and no way of getting rid of it.

"You're still awake?"

She jolts upwards a bit. She's laying on her left side so that her right arm is on top, over a single pillow, one under her head and the other next to her to cushion the arm if it falls off, and to stop her from rolling. It looks as if it's unneeded, however, because _she's not going to sleep._

"Y-yes."

She hears her words elicit a sigh from the boy. "Just come sleep here. I can hear you squeal every time it thunders."

 _Sleep with h-_

 _H-_

 _Him!?_

"What is i-it that you're implying!?" She shuts her eyes tight, shutting out that mental image.

"N-no! Nothing like that!" _Oh, so his shamelessness does have a peak. He can get flustered too._ "I just thought…ah…if it'll help you sleep, just come."

It _is_ pretty cold on the floor...and her position _is_ not the most comfortable. Plus, the idea of being protected from the storm would definitely help…

She stands up disorientedly without her glasses, picking up all three pillows.

"Come on the left side of the bed."

She willingly complies, sliding between the covers. "Th-thank you," she whispers. Amazingly, she is holding back her blush.

"Don't mention it. Now go to sleep."

She's forced to face him, as she has to sleep on her left side with pillows propping her up. It takes much longer for her to fall asleep than him; even though the mattress is much more comfortable, the awkward position is still encumbering enough to hinder her sleeping ability.

Quiet, subdued snores soon start to come from Karma. She sneaks a glance at the redhead boy, even without her glasses, she can see him pretty clearly. She's only nearsighted, which is why she wears glasses for target practice and in general.

His sleeping form is...angelic. So unlike how he is in regular life. He has a ghostly smile on his lips, dreaming about something pleasant, perhaps? His hair is slightly swept, flat, against his forehead.

She pries her left hand out from under her and sweeps it more to the side. Then freezes.

 _What did I just do…?_

She gazes across his form again. She feels her back heat up. What is this she's feeling?

An unknown emotion.

 _Ha..._ she smiles to herself. _I'm learning more every day…_

 _...and here I am, sleeeeping...with...him…_

There have been too many of these moments in the past few days.

Because of Karma, again.

 _This...is such a strange thing…_

Her thoughts are filled with wonders as she drifts off into the void of sleep.

 _I think I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight._

* * *

 **;-;**

 **I cri to think of how long I left this story before updating it...**

 **I had already written this chapter and was planning to post it after I'd finished the next, but extreme procrastination, along with school, set in, so no writing took place...**

 **Sadly, I'm in writer's block right now, with no foreseeable end. My only hope is that it's over soon, because I do NOT want to abandon this fic to die.**

 **Until next time!**


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